Effect of swab type and storage temperature on the isolation of Chlamydia trachomatis from clinical specimens

We evaluated various swabs for the recovery of Chlamydia trachomatis and found that only 7 of 14 swabs tested resulted in a greater than 50% recovery of organisms. Storage of chlamydial specimens at 4 degrees C for more than 1 day resulted in a rapid loss of viability, whereas freezing of specimens at -70 degrees C resulted in only a marginal decrease in the isolation rate.